Material handling mechanism



Dec- 12, 1939 E. w. STEELE E-r AL 2,182,857

MATERIAL HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. '7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www .LM

Dec. 12, 1939. E w STEELE ET AL 2,182,857

MATERIAL HANDLING MEGHANISM y Filed Jan. 7, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1939 MATERIAL nANnuNo MEcnAmsM Eugene W. Steele, Sewaren, and Fernando A.

Morin, Fords, N. J., assig'nors. to American Smelting and Benning Company,A New York.

I N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 1, 193e, serial No. sassi 10- Claims.

spection table for facilitating the inspection of A metal castings and for segregatirig imperfect castings from those fulfilling desired specifications or requirements for further working.

While the mechanism is of general applicability, it will be illustrated and described specifically in connection with the handling of copper wire-bar castings for enabling the ready inspection thereofand the ready isolation of such bars as may be determined from inspection as requiring treatment for removal of surface imperfections or for other defects of a nature rendering such castings unsuitable for direct marketing.

It is the customary procedure in the casting of the wire-bars to pour the copper after a suitable refining treatment from the furnace into the wire-bars molds in which the castings solidify.

'I'he molds are coated with a bone ash mold dressing, some of which may become included in the castings, or there may develop excrescences of. molten metal on the outer surfaces of the castings, `or irregularities inthe surfaces of the castings may arise from other causes; and such irregularities must be removed before the wirebars are sent to the rolling mill.

In accordance with the usual practice, the wirebars are dumped from the molds into a tank filled y with water, in which they are quenched and from which they are picked up by a conveyor entering the tank. Upon being discharged from the conveyor the Wire-bars are inspected by operators andA so far as possible the surface imperfections are removed by dressing the bars with suitable tools, such as for instance, pneumatic chisels or chipping tools. Of course, the conveyor removes the. wire-bars from the quenching tank and discharges them indiscriminately regardless of the degree of dressing which may be required, and regardless of whether or not the castings are of such character as may be sent directly to the rolling mill or required remelting and recasting in order to f ulll the rolling mill requirements. In View of the fact that the wire-bars are comparatively heavy, i. e., from 225 up to 400 pounds each, the separation of the marketable from the unmarketable bars `has entailed'a considerable 50 amount of laborious handling, and the inspection and separation of the rejected bars requires a considerable amount of handling and the attendance of several operators or lifters for removing the barsfrom the conveyor as they are brought 55 up from the quenching tank and placing them on (Cl. 214-11) y suitable inspection tables. This handling, obviously, introduces an additional hazard factor.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a conveyor or inspection table which will minimize the amount of manual handling of 5 the bars, thereby reducing the degree of hazard and the amount of labor entailed -in the inspection thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an inspection table which will enable the rdy l0 separationv of the rejected bars from those satisfactorily passing inspection,

. A still further object of the invention is to p vide an inspection table in which thev inspected bars, both those of a satisfactory character and 15 those under rejection, are brought to unloading points and deposited in position for removal from the table with the-minimum of handling.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an inspection table on which the castings 30 are .conveyed to a discharge point and on which the castings may be dressed during their transit along the conveyor. y

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description 25 proceeds, and the features of novelty will be set forth specically in the appended claims. The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified inv $0 the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be'indicated in the claims.

The present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying draw- 85 ings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved conveyor and inspection table.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 40 3.--3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the positions of the cross or auxiliary conveyor.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the 45 arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the inspection conveyor comprises, in effect, a plurality of sections A, Band C.

Section A is an inclined conveyor which ls adapted to bring the wire-bars to the inspection conveyor section B, and to position the said wirebars on the conveyor B in substantially parallel and equi-spaced relation, whereby the wire-bars will be readily accessible for inspection and chip-v ping as they travel along the conveyor to the discharge end thereof. The conveyor` A receives the wire-bars from an inclined chute D, onto which chute the wire-bars are discharged from a bosh conveyor E, which brings the wire-bars from the quenching tank, not shown.

The conveyor A comprises sprockets 1 and 8, three of each being illustrated, although the number may be increased or diminished according to the number of conveyor chains desired to be used. The sprockets 1 are mounted on a common shaft and sprockets 9 are mounted on a common shaft I8. Shaft turns in bearings I5 mounted on the supporting angle-frame I1, and the shaft I3 turns in bearings I8 also mounted on the angle-frame I1.

The conveyor itself comprises endless chains 2|, three of which are shown, which pass over the sprockets 1 and 9. 'I'hese chains carry equispaced upstanding dogs 23 which preferably have rounded surfaces 25 for engaging the wire-bars, the outlines of which are indicated by dotted lines as shown at 21. Guide plates 29 and 8|, mounted on angles such as shown at 33 and 35, converge towards the conveyor B, so that the ends of the wire-bars will come into engagement with these guide plates, thereby shifting the wirebars lengthways'until their ends become in alignment, the wire-bars being transferred inthis manner to the lconveyor B.

The conveyor B comprises supporting frames 39 and 4I composed of suitable angles bolted or riveted together, and endless chains 43 and 45, which pass over the pairs of sprockets 41, 41 and 49, 49. The sprockets 41, 41 are mounted on a drive shaft 5| operating in bearings 53, 53, 53, while the sprockets 49, 49 are mounted on the shaft |I The shaft 5| is provided with a drive sprocket 55 operated by a sprocket chain 51 which in turn is operated by a sprocket 59 on the drive shaft of a speed reducer BI driven by a motor 63. Therefore, the motor 63 drives both conveyors B and A.

Adjacent to the drive end of the conveyor B is a gravity transfer conveyor C, comprising a series of rollers 65, each of these series of rollers being mounted in side angles 61, 61, whereby the conveyor C is divided into sections as will become more clearly apparent hereinafter.

Cooperating with the conveyor C is a secondary or short conveyor F, which comprises endless conveyor chains 69, 69 which chains pass over driving sprockets 1|, 1| mounted on the drive shaft 5|, and tail sprockets 13, 13 mounted on a tail shaft 15 operating in bearings 11, 11 mounted on horizontal supporting beams 19, of a suitable supporting framework. The secondary conveyor F is positioned above the normal level of the conveyor C, and the conveyor F operates at substantially right angles to the conveyor C as will be apparent.

The conveyor C, in addition to the rollers 85, comprises the bottom channels 8|, 8|, which are illustrated as being supported on base angles 83, 83, 83 (Fig. 3), which base angles are disposed at right angles to the channels 8|. The channels 8| are welded', at suitably spaced intervals, to upright angles 85, which upright angles are shown as being grouped in three groups of two pairs each of the angles, each group of the upright angles 85 supporting a pair of the side angles 61 in which the rollers 65 are mounted. It

will be seen further that upright angles 81, 81 and 88, 88 are welded to the base angles 88, and to these upright angles are welded the guide channels 8 I. 8|, and 88, 88 which form guides and supports for the conveyor chains 48 and 48 of the main conveyor B, and also similar guide channels 85, 85 for the conveyor chains 88, 88 of the secondary conveyor.

It will be seen also that there is disposed a group of rollers 85, mounted in the manner above indicated, intermediate the respective conveyor chains, the channels 8|, 8|, forming a common mounting for the groups of rollers and their supporting structures, The upright angles 88 at the foot of the conveyor C carry rigid brackets 81, 91 and upright angles 89, 88, which are welded to the channels .8|,' 8|, are pivotally connected to the brackets 91, 81 by a pivot shaft |0|, the shaft |0| forming the axis about which the entire conveyor structure C pivots when it is lifted to operative position as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

Guide plates mounted on angles 85 of conveyor C immediately within the limits of conveyor B act as guides to maintain the alignment of conveyor C at substantially right angles relative to conveyor B by contacting with angles 88 when the conveyor C assumes the dotted line position, the guides 88 enabling the conveyor C to resist the pressure incident to engagement of bars moving thereagainst when the conveyor C is raised to operative position, such engagement being possible when the spacing of the bars 21 becomes unequal from any cause, or in the event the bars become bunched on the conveyor B; and the guides 86 enable, further, the inspectors to separate the rejected bars from passable bars when the bars are bunched in this manner at the conveyor C, and rto direct the rejected bars onto the conveyor C.

In order to accomplish the manipulation of the conveyor structure C, air cylinder |08 is provided, the upper end of the piston rod |05 of which has a head |01 pivotally connected by pivot shaft |09 with angles `welded to the underside of the flanges of the angles 61. The piston rod |05 is operated by air pressure acting on a cup member II3, the air admission being controlled by a conventional three-way valve I|5 which is operated by a handle ||1, the valve H5 being con nected with a suitable source of compressed air by means of a pipe II8, other pipes |2| and |28 connecting the valve I I5 with the air cylinder |03. When air is admitted beneath the piston cup member ||3, it lifts the member ||8 and the rod |05, thereby elevating the conveyor structure C into the dotted line positions of Figs. 2 and 3.

In passing, it may be noted that the supporting frame 39 of the main conveyor B comprises angle bars |21, which are welded to the upright support angles |29, and welded to these angles |28 are transversely extending angles I8I. These angles |3| have welded thereto the I-beams |25, |25 which in turn support the guide channels 8| 9| of the conveyor chains.

The operation of the mechanism as illustrated will become clear from the above description when taken in conjunction with the following explanation:

Wire-bars 21 are picked up byfiights |88 of the bosh conveyor E, being automatically carried by these flights |83 so that the wire-bars lie across the conveyor E. The conveyor E is operated by a drive sprocket mounted on a head-shaft |81 and which is driven by a chain |39 from a suitable motor not shown. Conveyor sprockets |4| and |43 are also mounted on the shaft |31.

From the conveyor E, the wire-bars are dumped into the chute D, as indicated by the arrow |4| in Fig. 2. 'I'he chute D has a bottom |43 mounted on I-beams and |41 so as to be inclined downwardly in the direction of travel of the Awire-bars. The wire-bars slide down the chute D as indicated by the arrow |49, guard plates |5I, |5| at thesides of the chute assuring the Wire-bars being retained on the chute. The wire-bars may collect at the lower end of the chute as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

Now the conveyor A is being driven from the motor 63. The dogs 23 are in alignment transversely of the conveyor A, so that as the conveyor chains 2| are operated, three of the dogs 23 simultaneously engage a wire-bar, since the discharge end of the chute overhangs the tail end of the conveyor A. For this purpose, the tail end of the conveyor A may be positioned in a sump |53.

The wire-bars may be picked up by the dogs 23- in the manner indicated in Fig. 1. However, as they are moved upwardly, their ends engage the lateral guides 29 and 3| and the bars are shifted thereby 4until their ends come into alignment; and in this manner they are transferred onto the conveyor B.

The shifting of the bars is facilitated by the rounded surfaces 25 of the dogs 23; and because of the fact that the dogs 23 are spaced at equal distances on the conveyor chains of conveyor A, the bars will be substantially equally spaced on the conveyor B. Conveyor B is operated at a comparatively slow speed so that the bars may be readily inspected as they pass along, and are readily accessible to the chippers during their passage.

Asthe wire-bars move along the conveyor B as indicated by arrow |55, the inspectors'are able to mark the bars to be rejected. As the bars near the discharge endof the conveyor B they pass over the selector conveyor C. the rollers 65 of which are below the path of travel of the wirebars. Now, as a bar 21a, for example, which has been designated by the inspectors as a reject passes over the selector conveyor C,thevalve I5 is manipulated by an operator so as to elevate the conveyor C to lift the said bar o of conveyor B, the bar passing by gravity end-ways along the rollers 65 until it strikes a stop plate |51, suitable retaining and guide plates |59 being positioned on angles 61 to assure the bars being retained on the conveyor as they move to the stop plate. It will thus be seen that the rejected bars maybe easily removed and separated from the good bars.

By the time the next bar coming along the conveyor B reaches the conveyor C, the operator has lowered conveyor C to its inoperative position. As he does so, the separated bar is lowered across the conveyor chains 69, 69 of the short secondary conveyor F, which chains are operated in conjunction with the main conveyor by the common drive sprocket 55 and the comthe said remaining articles.

It will be seen, therefore, that the mechanism of this invention provides means for enabling expeditious inspection and dressing of the castings to be performed, and also means for effecting a the beams. |63, collecting thereon as the removal point; and similarly the accepted bars pass from theconveyor B onto the beams |65, all of which beams are suitably supported by the conveyor frame. In its broader aspects, therefore, the in vention comprises a conveying mechanism along which articles are adapted to be moved, the mechanism comprising a gathering conveyor, an inspection conveyor, anda separator conveyor, the separator conveyor being normally inactive and out of the path of travel of the articles being moved, and mechanism for actuating the separator conveyor to bring it into active position in engagement with predetermined selected articles for diverting the selected articles from the remainder of the said articles and-for conveying the said selected articles to apoint of discharge remote from the point of discharge of At both discharge points the articles are assembled in alignment for further handling in groups, the aligned assemblng of te articles facilitating the rapidremoval thereof in their respective assorted condition.

It may be noted that the air cylinder |03 is pivotally secured to angles |60 which angles |60 are welded to angles 83, this pivoted mounting 'of the air cylinder being indicated by pin |62, ex`

tending through a lug |64 on the bottom closure of the cylinder; also wear plates |66 may be provided in the conveyor guide channels 9|, 9|, and wear plates |61 may be positioned also in the guide channels |68 of the conveyor A.

What is claimed is: r

l. A conveying system for the inspection of copper wire-bars, comprising an inspection conveyor adapted to receive the bars laid transversely thereon and along which the wire-bars are adapted to be moved, a gravitationally operated selector conveyor intersecting the inspection conveyor, a pivotal mounting for the selector conveyor at one end thereof, fluid pressure actuated lifting mechanism for the selector conveyor operable responsively to the will of an operator for lifting the said selector conveyor into tilted operative engagement with selected wirebars for diverting the selected wire-bars from the remaining wire-bars, and to allow the selected Wire-bars to pass lengthways by gravity down the selector conveyor, the said lifting mechansm comprising a pneumatic cylinder including a lifting piston pivotally connected with the selector conveyor, air lines connected with the cylinder for introducing air-pressure therein to effect operation of the piston, and a control valve for the air lines for predetermnedly directing air flow through the cylinder, and mechanism for depositing theA wire-bars crossways on the inspection conveyor for inspection and chipping operations and at sufliciently spaced intervals for enabling operation of the selector conveyor by removing any -selected bars from the inspection conveyor without interruption to the operation oi the inspection conveyor.

2. Inspection apparatus for, copper wire bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive the wire bars laid transversely thereof in substantially equi-spaced relation, a selector gravity conveyor intersecting the said main conveyor, pivotal mounting means at the foot of the selector conveyor enabling the said selector conveyorl to be rotated vertically upon the pivotal mounting between operative and inoperative positions, the said selector conveyor having its receiving end free, tlud-pressure actuated lifting mechanism connected to the selector conveyor for lifting the same about its pivotal mounting and into tilted opertative position in engagement with pre-selected wire bars on the main conveyor for lifting a pre-selected wire-bar from the main conveyor onto the selector conveyor without interference with the wire bars on the main conveyor while allowing the wire-bars to pass lengthwise along the selector conveyor, and a secondary conveyor intersecting the selector conveyor for removing from the selector conveyor the wire bars thereon responsively to the return of the selector conveyor to inoperative position.

3. Inspection apparatus for copper wire bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive the wire bars laid thereon transversely across the conveyor in substantially equi-spaced relation, a vertically pivoted selector conveyor, the selector conveyor being normally inactive and below the path of travel of the wire bars being moved along the inspection table, quick-acting mechanism for actuating the separator conveyor to elevate one end of it in sloping operative position in a plane intersecting the plane of the inspection table and in engagement with pre-selected wire bars for lifting a pre-selected bar from its place on the main conveyor and conveying the said bar to a discharge point remote from the discharge of the main conveyor, and means for operating the elevating mechanism of the separator conveyor to shift the later in a complete cycle between operative and inoperative positions, the separator conveyor being timed to eiIect removal of any selected bar and to return to inoperative position without interference with the operation of the main conveyor or without interference with the movement with the main conveyor of the succeeding bar thereon.

4. Inspection apparatus for copper wire bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive the wire bars laid thereon transversely across the conveyor in substantially equi-spaced relation, a vertically pivoted gravity selector conveyor, the selector conveyor being normally inactive and below the path of travel of the wire-bars being moved along the inspection table, quick-acting mechanism for actuating the separator conveyor to elevate one end of it into sloping operative position in engagement with pre-selected wirebars for conveying by gravity the said pre-selected wire-bars to a point of discharge remote from the point of discharge of the main conveyor without interference with the Wire-bars during their travel along the inspection table, and means for operating the elevating mechanism oi the separator conveyor to shift the latter between operative and inoperative positions.

5. Inspection apparatus for copper wire-bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive the wire bars laid cross-ways thereon, a pivotally mounted selector conveyor, the selector conveyor being normally inactive and below the path of travel of the wire bars being moved .along the inspection table, pivotal mounting means at one end ot the selector conveyor enabling the selector conveyor to be rotated vertically upon the pivotal mounting between operative and inoperative positions, the said selector conveyor having free its end opposite to the pivotal mounting. Pneumatic lifting mechanism connected to the selector conveyor for lifting the same about its pivotal mounting and into tilted operative position in engagement with vpre-selected wire bars on the main conveyor -for diverting the said pre-selected wire-bars from the main conveyor to the selector conveyor, and means at an inspection station for controlling air pressure to the said pneumatic lifting mechanism for operating the selector conveyor.

6. Inspection apparatus for 'copper wire-bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive the wire-bars when laid cross-ways thereon, a pivotally mounted gravity selector conveyor, the selector'conveyor being normally inactive and below the path ot travel of the wire-bars being moved along the inspection table, pivotal mounting means at one end oi.' the selector conveyor enabling the selector conveyor to be rotated vertically upon the pivotal mounting between oper-- ative and inoperative positions, the said selector conveyor having free its end adjacent to the main conveyor, the said selector conveyor comprising spaced sections, one of which spaced sections is adapted to engage pre-selected wire-bars when the selector conveyor is in operative position to lift the said wire-bars from the main conveyor onto the selector conveyor, the said bars traveling by gravity in lengthwise direction along the said selector conveyor, frame members interconnecting the said sections to form a rigid structure, an auxiliary conveyor interposed between adjacent sections oi' the selector conveyor for removing the wire-bars from the selector conveyor as the latter returns to inoperative position, and an labutment member for stopping movement of the wire-bars at the foot of the selector conveyor. I

7. A conveyor system for facilitating inspection of copper wire-bars comprising, in combina- .tion, an inspection conveyor having an inspection station, means for depositing the wire-bars transversely of the'inspection conveyor at substantially regular intervals on the conveyor suiiicient to enable ready inspection of the said bars, a selector conveyor positioned in a plane intersecting the plane of the inspection conveyor, but normally below the level of the inspection conveyor and hence normally below the path of travel of the wire-bars being inspected, means for pivotally mounting the selector conveyor at one end thereof remote from the inspection conveyor for vertical movement into inclined position intersecting the said path of travel of the wire-bars whereby pre-selected bars may be diverted from the remaining bars by the selector conveyor and allowed to pass lengthwise along the selector conveyor, duid-actuated quick-lifting devices beneath the free end of the selector conveyor for operating the said conveyor to raise and lower the same between inoperative and opaimes? erative positions, and duid-pressure control means operable at the inspection station enabling quick actuation of. the lifting devices for quickly shifting any selected bars from the inspection conveyor onto the selector conveyor without interruption to the operation of the inspection conveyor.

8. A conveyor system for facilitating inspection of copper wire-bars, comprising, in combination, an inspection conveyor having an inspection and selector station, means for depositing, transversely of the conveyor, the wire-bars at substantially regular intervals on the conveyor sumcient to enable ready inspection of the'said bars, the said conveyor comprising a frame defining tracks, endless conveyor devices mounted on the tracks on which devices the Wire-bars ride, a selector 'conveyor positioned in a plane intersecting the plane of the inspection conveyor but normally below the level thereof, the said selector con-v veyor comprising a frame dening a plurality of spaced sections and frame members interconnecting the sections, conveyor instrumentalities for the sections, means for pivotally mounting the conveyor frame at its end remote from the inspection conveyor, the said frame having its other end free for enabling movement thereof into operative engagement of the conveyor instrumentalities thereon with pre-selected wirebars on the inspection conveyorwhereby the preselected bars may be diverted from the remaining bars by the selector conveyor, quick-acting uid-pressure actuated lifting devices beneath the free end of the selector conveyor for operating the said conveyor to raise and lower the same between horizontal inoperative and inclined operative positions so that the said pre-selected bars may pass along the said selector conveyor from the inspection conveyor, and fluid-pressure control means operable at the inspection station enabling quick actuation of the lifting devices for quickly shifting any pre-selected bars from the inspection conveyor onto the' selector conveyor Without interruption of the progress of. the remaining bars on the inspection conveyor.

9. Inspection apparatus for copper wire bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive wire-bars laid thereon, Amechanism for depositing wire-bars onl the inspection table transversely thereof at regular spaced intervals, a selector conveyor normally inactive and positioned below the path of travel of the wire-bars being moved along the inspection table, means for lifting one end of the selector conveyor beneath a pre-selected wirebar sufliciently to remove the said pre-selected bar from the main conveyor and to cause the said bar to .passlengthwise down the selector conveyor without interruption to the movement of the main conveyor, the said bar-depositing mechanism spacing the wire-bars on the inspection conveyor at suiciently spaced-apart intervals for enabling the seelctor conveyor to move from inoperative to operative position for removal of the selected bar and to return to inoperative position before arrival of the succeeding bar at the location of. the selector conveyor.

10. Inspection apparatus for copper wire-bars comprising, in combination, an inspection table comprising a main conveyor adapted to receive wire-bars laid thereon, mechanism for depositing wire-bars on the inspection table transversely thereof and at regular spaced intervals, a selector conveyor normally inactive and positioned below the path of travel of the wire-bars being moved along the inspection table, a. pivotal foot mounting for the selector conveyor enabling the receiving end of the said selector conveyor to be raised beneath a pre-selected wire-bar on the main conveyor sufficiently to remove the said pre-selected bar from the main conveyor without interruption to the movement of the mainconveyor and to cause the said bar to coast down the selector conveyor, duid-pressure actuated mechanism for shifting the receiving end of the selector conveyor between inoperative and operative positions, the said bar-depositing mechanism spacing the wire-bars on the inspection conveyor at sufiiciently spaced-apart intervals for enabling the seelctor conveyor to move from inoperative to operative position forremoval of the selected bar and to return to inoperative position before arrival of the succeeding bar at the location of the selector conveyor while allowing the selector bar to pass lengthwise along the conveyor, and means for controlling actuation of the said fluid-pressure actuated mechanism for causing the said selector conveyor to shift sufciently quickly from inoperative position to operative position and back to inoperative position to remove any pre-selected bar from the main conveyor without interruption to the movement of the main conveyor or the succeeding wire-bar.

EUGENE W. STEELE. FERNANDO A. MORIN. 

